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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07276516

Psychosocial Factors Related to Musculoskeletal Disorders in Academicians

the prevalence of occupational stress and burnout is very high among academicians. Previous studies examining MSDs in academicians have focused more on physical factors such as physical activity levels and ergonomics, while interest in psychosocial factors has been limited. To our knowledge, there is no study in the literature that evaluates both MSDs, work stress, and burnout in academicians. Therefore, our study aims to investigate the relationship between MSDs and academic stress, burnout, and work-life balance among academicians.

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Key information

Conditions

Musculoskeletal Disorders Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Burnout, Psychological Musculoskeletal Diseases Stress, Psychological

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University of Yalova

Yalova, 77100, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

The study aims to investigate psychosocial factors such as academic stress and burnout, which are thought to influence musculoskeletal disorders among academics. As part of the research, data will be collected through questionnaires from volunteer academics at a selected university who have at least six months of teaching experience at the institution. The questionnaire will gather information on musculoskeletal pain, demographic characteristics, stress levels, burnout levels, and work-life balance. After entering the data into the SPSS software, statistical analysis will be conducted. Categorical variables will be presented as numbers (percentages), and numerical variables will be reported as means and standard deviations. To assess correlations, Spearman or Pearson correlation tests and regression analyses will be used. The Chi-square test will be used to compare categorical variables between male and female academics, while the independent samples t-test will be applied for numerical variables if normality is assumed; otherwise, the Mann-Whitney U test will be used. The Shapiro-Wilk test will be conducted to assess the normality of the data. A significance level of p<0.005 will be considered statistically significant.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • volunteering to participate,
  • having worked as academic staff at Yalova University for the past six months,
  • being able to understand and speak Turkish

Exclusion criteria

  • who wished to withdraw from the study,
  • those with a history of fracture or soft tissue injury in any body region within the past 12 months,
  • congenital spinal disorders, scoliosis, rheumatoid diseases, cancer, surgery, chronic internal organ pain, long-term use of analgesic or psychiatric medications, - those working in departments without students

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. The Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire

    Time frame: All participants will be assessed only once on Day 1.

    Dawson and colleagues developed an extended version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire to obtain more detailed data on the prevalence and impact of musculoskeletal disorders. It includes general questions about the history of problems in nine body regions, such as the neck, upper back, shoulders, elbows, hands/arms, lower back, hips, knees, and feet/ankles. The questionnaire was provided along with a body diagram to help participants indicate areas of pain or discomfort. The response options are limited to "yes" and "no." A Turkish cultural adaptation and validity study of the questionnaire has been conducted.

  2. University Academic Staff Work Stress Scale

    Time frame: All participants will be assessed only once on Day 1.

    University Academic Staff Work Stress Scale, developed by Balcı in 1992 and validated for reliability and validity, was used. The scale contains 24 items. The total scale score ranges from 0 to 120, with higher scores indicating lower job satisfaction. The questionnaire has high validity and reliability.

  3. The Maslach Burnout Inventory

    Time frame: All participants will be assessed only once on Day 1.

    The Maslach Burnout Inventory was developed by Maslach and Jackson in 1981. The inventory has also been validated and tested for reliability for use in Turkish among academicians. The inventory consists of 22 items and assesses burnout across three subscales: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. The emotional exhaustion subscale includes nine items related to fatigue, boredom, and reduced emotional energy. The depersonalization subscale consists of five items concerning detached or impersonal behavior toward care and service recipients. The personal accomplishment subscale comprises eight items and reflects an individual's sense of competence and achievement. Items on the scale are rated on a Likert scale from 0 to 6. Separate scores were obtained for each of the three subscales. High scores on the emotional exhaustion or depersonalization subscales, or low scores on the personal accomplishment subscale, indicate a high level of burnout.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Work-Life Balance Scale

    Time frame: All participants will be assessed only once on Day 1.

    The scale, developed and tested for reliability by Taşdelen-Karçkay and Bakalım, evaluates the balance between work and life. It consists of 8 items rated on a 7-point Likert scale, with each item scored from "Strongly Disagree -1-" to "Strongly Agree -7-." Low scores indicate a disruption in work-life balance.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Yalova

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Investigation of the Effects of Academic Stress and Burnout on Musculoskeletal Disorders in Academicians

Acronym: MSDs

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Dec 11, 2025
Registry last updated
May 4, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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